Which would you use as the plural of "dogma" when writing in a fairly formal context? The first strikes my ear as slightly off, the second as a little pedantic and even maybe pompous to some ears. By "fairly formal context" I mean something meant for the literate general reader, less formal than the academic but more so than correspondence or a blog post.
“Dogmas” or “dogmata”?
15 responses to ““Dogmas” or “dogmata”?”
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I would use “dogmata” because I do whatever I can to stop the downward creep of the English language (even when it’s Latin). I guess I love swimming against the torrent.
And then, I’m also reacting to eight years of working in the office next to that of the Director of Alumni who said on a daily basis that “an alumni” came by to see her or “I’m planning a reunion for the alumnis.”
AMDG -
I’m inclined to agree. I have to express sympathy for your Director of Alumni, though, because I’ve always had a hard time keeping those terms straight. I’m just enough aware of the differences that I don’t like to use them, so I just say “alum” and “alums”.
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You know, you’re friends with somebody for years and years and you think you know them, and then they say something that makes you wonder.
AMDG -
Yes, I didn’t know you were such a pedant. 😉
(A grammatical point that I care about is a bastion of civilization. One that I don’t care about is pedantry.) -
I guess it’s because I love Latin. I know that’s very pedantic of me–but you did know that. 😉
AMDG -
I should remember more of it than I do, since I had two years of it in high school.
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I’ve never heard dogmata in English use.
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I don’t know why you don’t remember it, Maclin, I remember everything I learned in high school. What’s forty years?
AMDG -
Fifty. (!!!!)
I don’t know where I got “dogmata,” Louise. -
Oh right. I can’t even remember how to subtract. Of course I learned that sixty years ago.
AMDG -
Newman uses “dogmas” in his Apologia pro vita sua.
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Okay, Newman is dispositive. Thanks. Especially since I asked the question because I was writing about Newman. Been a long time since I read the Apologia. I’m planning to read it again in the near future.
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Excellent reference, Paul. Thanks for that.
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Well, I’ll gladly bow to Newman.
AMDG -
Generally a wise plan.
Light On Dark Water 
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